Pendulum
by thatreevesgirl
Summary: If the pendulum swings forward, it must inevitably swing back. Byakuya x Rangiku lemon


**_Pendulum_**

**_(Byakuya x Rangiku)_**

_**by Lemon Drops/thatreevesgirl (both me)**_

* * *

Byakuya Kuchiki is like a pendulum. In his youth he spends time fighting with Yoruichi, and his personality is hot like a spitfire. He doesn't care at all for his family's attitude. When Yoruichi, his closest childhood friend disappears into exile, the pendulum begins to swing. His thoughts and attitudes start to change, but not enough to appease the family who raised him.

* * *

A few years after Yoruichi's abandonment, Byakuya becomes the member and then captain of the sixth division. He isn't as hotheaded as he was as a child, but he still dislikes being told what to do. He meets a young commoner known as Hisana, and Byakuya and is immediately smitten. They marry, but Hisana obsesses over finding her younger sister. Byakuya often wonders if Hisana agreed to marry him solely for his family's resources. It doesn't stop him from loving her, but it does force the pendulum to swing faster. Once a brash man who didn't care an ounce about the politics of a noble family, Byakuya begins positioning himself to become the successor of the Kuchiki household. He is inducted as the twenty-eighth head only a few years later after the death of his wife and his grandfather.

* * *

Byakuya remembers his grandfather before he died; mostly the old man chastising him for not acting the part of the dedicated noble, and always grumbling about how Byakuya will bring dishonor to the Kuchiki clan if he continues traversing his wayward path. How could someone like Byakuya fall in love with and marry a mere commoner? After his wife's death, Byakuya's disobedient path continues by pushing for the adoption of his wife's younger sister, Rukia. These things are seen as blasphemy by the members of the Kuchiki clan. Fortunately, Byakuya is as stubborn as his family is strict.

* * *

The pendulum's inertia after Hisana's and his grandfather's deaths, as well as the disappearance of Yoruichi, moves Byakuya from as hot as he could be, to cold and frigid. He becomes unmovable, emotionless, and his heart freezes and becomes trapped. The pendulum reaches its peak and is stuck in the opposite place from which it started. It is Ichigo Kurosaki who pushes Byakuya hard enough to let the pendulum swing free of its icy hold, back toward the direction it started from.

* * *

Suddenly, the pendulum stops. Byakuya isn't the boy of his past, but he certainly isn't the unmovable man he was before Ichigo shattered his world. He is somewhere in the middle, and strangely, he wonders if this is what it feels like to be truly human. Byakuya begins to remember why he once believed so fervently in the path that disassociates itself with mindless rules. Slowly, he once again sees fit to ignore the bureaucratic red tape in lieu of finding his own way. It is still a path that strives for rules and structure, but it isn't as heartless. He remembers his humanity. He is no longer just a shinigami; he is a man with feelings and wants and desires. Byakuya decides to use this new freedom to the best of his ability to protect the people he cares about.

* * *

There are very few people who know Byakuya the way he used to be. He is lucky that most of the other court guard captains are so young, each at least a decade behind him. None of the younger generation is aware of his more belligerent days as a seated officer and then a new captain, leaving only a handful of people like Captain Yamamoto who are.

Byakuya Kuchiki is still a proud and honorable man. He leads what is arguably the most efficient of the court guard squads, and despite a few notable moments of insurrection, the shinigami in his care are undisputedly loyal. Renji Abarai achieved bankai recently, and Byakuya's seated officers are well on their way to improving their zampakuto techniques as well. Their abilities may not be anywhere near their captain's skills, but Byakuya believes in the division he has.

This newly discovered faith in others isn't solely reserved for his squad. Byakuya allows the idea of relationships, like friendship, for the first time in a long while. Also, the idea of intimacy crosses his mind more and more lately. Relations are strictly prohibited outside the confines of marriage for any person in a noble family. It wasn't as if the Kuchiki clan didn't try to get Byakuya to remarry after Hisana's death, but he didn't want to then and still doesn't want to now. During the time before Ichigo and his friends broke into the Seireitei, nothing preoccupied Byakuya more than concepts of duty and honor. It is different now. These things aren't as important to him as they once were.

He begins to realize that he is fallible and imperfect. More importantly, he realizes he is a man, with the same wants and desires as other men. Even now, Byakuya refuses to marry a random person his family approves of, because somewhere deep inside his heart he still believes in the silly notion of love. Right now, Byakuya isn't looking for love, but he can't help but catch his eyes wandering during inter-divisional meetings. During the last meeting Shunsui gave him a dirty look when the sixth division captain spent a good portion of an hour letting his eye's wander discretely over Shunsui's lieutenant Nanao. Byakuya is glad his lieutenant is a man, or the torture of sharing an office space might have driven him mad. Most of the seated officers in the sixth division are male, and luckily Byakuya rarely interacts with his female subordinates.

During the following week's captain and lieutenant meeting, Byakuya mistakenly sits across from Toshiro Hitsugaya and his bountifully blessed lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto. Renji is almost gleeful as he takes a seat by his captain. Renji and Rangiku flirt silently with each other from their seats across the table, much to both their captains' chagrin. Toshiro only puts up with it for half the meeting before chastising Rangiku for her inappropriate actions during a short break. The way the young captain of the tenth squad fights with his lieutenant reminds Byakuya of himself and Yoruichi. It is not a memory Byakuya wants to drudge up, but now it will not leave his mind.

The next meeting Byakuya seats himself down near old man Yamamoto, hoping that Toshiro and Rangiku will stay in their usual spot near the end of the table. Byakuya underestimates the power of a woman like Matsumoto. She practically drags her poor captain down to the front end and steals the empty seats once occupied by Aizen and Tousen. This, of course, makes Renji and Rangiku happy, but is frustrating to both captains. The meeting is long and boring and Byakuya finds himself staring over the top of a report at Rangiku's ample chest. She catches him doing it and gives him a cute wink much to Byakuya's mortification. Byukuya buries his eyes in the report for the rest of the meeting, not even looking up when speaking to the other captains.

Renji finds Byakuya's little indiscretion at the meeting hilarious and afterward he uses his and Byakuya's newly established camaraderie to poke a little fun at his captain. Renji stops teasing after he senses that the silence he receives in reply from Byakuya isn't anger, but rather a quiet sadness. Renji would never kick a man when he was down, especially not one who he admires. The redheaded lieutenant lays a hand on his captain's shoulder and tells him to have a good night before leaving their office. Byakuya chooses to stay and finish some paperwork. It seems much easier than going home to a very empty house, and an even emptier bed.

Perhaps Byakuya might have chosen loneliness if he had known what was to come. Rangiku enters Byakuya's office about an hour later under the pretense of making a delivery for her captain and asks if Renji had gone home for the night. Byakuya tells her that his lieutenant has indeed left for the evening, but it doesn't deter Rangiku from slinking around his office. She hands Byakuya a stack of reports that she says were mistakenly given to the tenth division. He doesn't even look in her general direction as he accepts them. Byakuya can smell the strong scent of sake on her breath as she chuckles and moves behind him. She asks what he's working on, and he only shrugs slightly. He desperately hopes that she will interpret his coldness as disinterest.

Byakuya looks over the reports that Rangiku handed him. Anyone else would not be as observant, but Byakuya has seen these reports before. They are the ones he assigned Renji earlier that day. Renji took them home with him. Byakuya is sure of that because he saw his lieutenant shove them into a bag before leaving. Byakuya silently curses in his head, realizing that this whole situation is a setup, and he has Renji to thank for it.

The Byakuya from half a century ago would have leapt at the opportunity to have a woman as beautiful as Matsumoto. The Byakuya from a few months ago would have demanded her to leave his presence immediately for being dishonorable. What would the Byakuya of the present do? Could he be carefree enough to allow such a reckless thing to happen? Any public knowledge of fraternization between himself and another member of the court guard squad would undoubtedly bring shame and dishonor to his family.

Rangiku sits on the corner of his desk and smiles at him. She reads him like a book, and knows why he's hesitant. Byakuya is a stickler for the rules. He will not do this easily. When Byakuya looks at her, he knows his eyes linger too long on the low dipping collar that her cleavage is spilling out of. She asks him if he likes what he sees. Byakuya looks away, and decides he will ask her to leave. Before he can, Rangiku leans in toward him. She moves slowly, as not to startle Byakuya, because she can tell that he's liable to spook very easily. She whispers in his ear and makes him an offer. She promises Byakuya no strings and that no one will find out. It makes his decision to kick her out nearly impossible.

She is one of the loveliest women he has ever met. He won't admit it, but he likes her spunkiness and the way she argues with her captain. She isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes. Byakuya isn't very keen on her laziness or affinity for sake, but he has come to realize that everyone has their faults. No one is impervious, and there is no such thing as perfection. He wants to kiss her, and he wants it to go further than just that. If only he can let himself resurrect the obstinate boy within him who married Hisana or picked fights with Yoruichi; if he can do that, then he can find the courage to allow this thing between himself and Matsumoto.

Byakuya still doesn't accept, but he doesn't turn her away either. He sits and stares at the open door that leads to the hallway, wondering if this is really happening, and why he can't find the courage to ask this beautiful woman to leave…or stay. Rangiku slips off the desk and walks silently to the door. For a moment Byakuya almost breathes a sigh of relief, but she doesn't leave, she closes the door and the lock clicks. Byakuya's mouth goes dry, and he still can't find the willpower to vocalize his wish for her to go.

"One night, no strings, and I promise that I will not speak a word of it to anyone," she reiterates as she stands before the closed door.

He watches as she loosens her sash and slips the top part of her uniform off of her shoulders. For the first time Byakuya gets an eyeful of the most impressive breasts in all of Seireitei. On most women they would look ridiculous, but Rangiku is a very tall, curvaceous woman. She wriggles her flared hips and her top and hakama fall to the floor. Byakuya realizes that though they really have nothing in common, and love will most likely never be a part of this equation, he _is_ physically attracted to the stunning woman who is blushing and naked in front of him.

Words seem to slip off his tongue before he can stop them. "One night, no strings, and I will insist that no one _ever_ hears a word about this, Rangiku." He likes the way her name sounds and feels.

"Certainly, Captain Kuchiki," she nods and takes long, graceful strides toward him.

He may be nervous and unsure, but she is not. Rangiku covers the distance of the room and then moves around his desk. The chair Byakuya is sitting in is very simple in design, basically a stool with a high, arching back and no arms. Rangiku decides to straddle her prey, perhaps to keep him from fleeing. Her body is heavy and warm as it presses up against Byakuya, and it traps him in the situation he is both reveling in and terrified of.

Byakuya's arms hang limply at his sides. He has never had any sort of relations outside the privacy of his own home. The situation has him more flustered than he thought possible. Rangiku smirks, which is a very pretty expression on her, and whispers, sake still strong on her breath, "Perhaps you'd like to kiss me first, Captain Kuchiki."

He blinks and nods, but before their lips meet, he grumbles a rough, "Byakuya," to his partner. She looks confused by the sudden interruption until he amends himself, "Please call me Byakuya."

This time Rangiku smiles, and it is even prettier than the devilish smirk she so often wears. It is softer and kinder, and Byakuya has a sneaking suspicion that he is seeing the true face of Rangiku Matsumoto. Her smile is almost as sad as his. "Alright, Byakuya," she murmurs against his lips, "Kiss me."

He doesn't usually take orders from others, save Yamamoto, but he listens to Rangiku as she leads him through this introduction. She tastes almost as strong of sake as she smells, but there is a hint of wild berries on her tongue, and the soft, refreshing flavor of mint. Byakuya has a sneaking suspicion that Toshiro pawns all the candy that Ukitake gives him off on Rangiku. The tip of Rangiku's tongue sweeps against his lips, and he allows her this bit of control as she leisurely explores him, only to come back with a fervent reply as he pushes his mouth hard against hers and nips and sucks on her lips before penetrating her mouth with his tongue. Byakuya is a good kisser, and he knows this. Rangiku leans into the kiss as she lets him do as he likes.

As much as Byakuya tries to resist, her warm, supple body pressing against him has all the blood in his veins running south. His hands creep slowly up the sides of her body until one settles on the small dip of her lower back, and the other begins softly kneading a pillowy breast and then plucks at a hard, pert nipple. She moans into the kiss and squirms in his lap. He nips at Rangiku's lips softly and holds her in place as he repositions the growing hardness in his hakama. When he is finished, Byakuya pulls her close and grinds against her body. Her breath is hot and heavy, and coming in very quick pants as his hands grip her hips and he moves his clothed erection against her warm, wet core. She shivers and wraps her hands around his shoulders.

It has been so long since he has been with a woman that Byakuya's body is thrumming with overexcitement. He moves to stand, wanting to calm himself down. He scoops up Matsumoto and takes her with him. Her legs instinctively wrap around him. Byakuya pushes papers aside and lowers her onto the wooden desk he has always reserved for work alone. She sits on the edge and gives him a questioning look until Byakuya's hands move to her inner thighs and silently request for room between them. Her legs open, and he settles on his knees before the beautiful woman atop his desk. The initial nerves he felt seem to melt away as he eyes her womanhood hungrily.

Sex is one thing Byakuya has never been selfish with. Rangiku is no different than the women of his past, Hisana or the handful of secret lovers he had before marriage, and he inwardly promises to give her all that he can. His warm, calloused hands run up her thighs and over her hips. He breathes in her spicy, pungent scent and kisses the juncture of her leg and groin. She bites her lip and watches him raptly. She is holding back loud, wanton moans when he pulls her inner lips apart and licks at them before dragging the tip of his tongue over the tiny pearl of arousal hidden beneath its fleshy hood. Her hips buck hard as he circles it softly and sucks it gently between his lips. Rangiku can't help the cry she allows to escape her lips.

Byakuya rises and cups his hand over her mouth as he shushes her. He gives her a pointed look before kissing her deep and hard. He maneuvers his unoccupied hand between her legs and penetrates her with two fingers. He couples this with the pad of his thumb rubbing small circles around her clit. He swallows the moans and sounds she can't stop. Her muscles grow tense as he picks up speed, and the arch in her back grows more pronounced with each push he makes into her.

Byakuya stops kissing long enough to give her a grave warning, "Silence," he growls and buries his head in the crook of her neck, kissing and sucking at her sensitive skin. He moves further down and pulls a taught nipple into his mouth. His tongue flicks quickly over it and then circles around like he had her clit. He hears Rangiku choke on a muffled sound. He bites her, and then laves the pain away by licking and soothing the red, bruised skin of her breast's areola.

Rangiku's hips gyrate and meet each of his hand's thrusts. She grits her teeth, but the only sound she allows is a nearly silent whine. She balls her fingers into his clothes and yanks hard as her body contorts and nearly falls off the edge of the desk. Byakuya steadies her and holds her tight. He can feel her nails through his captain's sash, his kimono top, and the under-kimono. Rangiku's grip is merciless as she rides out her orgasm. He is grateful that she didn't wrap her slender fingers into his hair.

It takes Rangiku a while to relax. She finally leans in and rests her head on Byakuya's shoulder. While she catches her breath, Byakuya loosens the knot keeping his sash tight. Feminine hands shoo his away as she reaches in and fetches his cock. Using both hands Rangiku twines her fingers around it in swirling patterns from shaft to tip. Her thumb rubs over the pronounced slit in the head and smears the silky precum around and back down. He groans and she teasingly tells him, "Silence," much to his displeasure.

Caught up in the moment, Byakuya grabs her hips roughly and flips her. She reaches out and grips the edge of the desk with her hands to keep from falling to the floor. She lets out a surprised squeal as he uses his knee to spread her legs widely and in one swift movement buries himself in her from behind. His thrusts are enough to keep her from saying anything else that might irritate him.

He likes watching her shapely, muscled backside move in time with him, even more exciting is the way her breasts jar roughly with each push he makes into her body. She is listening to his request to remain noiseless. He can barely hear breathy, soundless moans as he feeds her harder, faster thrusts. She is moving in time with him, each rhythmic movement met with one of her own. He presses in, she presses back, he pulls out, she moves forward and away from his body, and the whole time her inner muscles flex and ripple around him.

Byakuya's hands grip Rangiku's hips to brace and steady her. Her own hands move from the desk to her breasts as she squeezes and plays with herself. One hand even goes between her legs, and Byakuya likes the feeling as she touches him ever so slightly as he pushes in and out of her. She moves it away and rubs her clit until she is panting and moaning again, unable to stop the noises as her muscles are wound tight and ready to burst.

Byakuya is trying hard to hold back, and hopes she will come with him inside her. He relishes the feeling of a woman's sex contracting around his. He can tell she is close, and decides to change his pattern by giving her long, hard strokes until she comes. It doesn't take long until Rangiku is quivering and shaking. By the end of it she can barely stand as she limply leans on the desk in front of her. Byakuya picks up speed and growls loudly as he empties himself into her womb.

Byakuya pulls out and cleans himself off with a small kerchief that he keeps in the top drawer of his desk before tucking himself neatly back into his hakama. Rangiku clings to the desk for a few more moments before stumbling to her pile of clothing and making her way back into them. Her entire body is covered in a fine sheen of sweat and her hair is mussed and damp.

"A promise is a promise. Thanks for the good time, I'll be sure to keep my lips shut about it," she says wearily as she gives him a small salute goodbye and walks slowly toward the door.

Byakuya might have let her leave without another word, but he is the kind of man who does the right thing. He steps over to the woman who had just satiated him and kisses her softly and tells her goodnight. He even mentions that he wouldn't mind if she visited and shared a little sake with him from time to time. He doesn't like getting drunk off the stuff, but a small cup or two is never a bad thing. He looks at her for a long time and whispers, "I wouldn't mind doing this again either."

She pats his chest and laughs. "Byakuya, you're a man, of course you wouldn't mind that." She kisses his cheek with her normal devilish smirk and an equally diabolical glint in her eye. "Just tell me when, and I'll be there." She waves goodnight and is gone.

Byakuya takes all of his paperwork and stacks it on Renji's desk for the lieutenant to finish tomorrow and then heads home for the night. He thinks that perhaps the pendulum is beginning to find some inertia again.


End file.
